The Ramayana: Epilogue Summary & Analysis

The narrator says that Rama entered Ayodhya and picked up right where he left off 14 years earlier. Hanuman and Sugreeva took on human forms and were treated as honored guests. Even Kaikeyi had taken the 14 years to think about what she did and accepted Rama with open arms. When Rama was crowned, Sita sat next to him, Rama held his bow in his right hand, and Lakshmana stood watchfully below the throne. Hanuman knelt at Rama's feet, ready to do his bidding.

The narrator reminds the reader that when he was young, Hanuman had been told to dedicate his life to Vishnu, which he did. The narrator says that the story goes that wherever you hear Rama's name, the spirit of Hanuman is there. He says that Hanuman is one of the most important and faithful characters of the story.

The narrator explains that storytellers today often change the story or add embellishments to make The Ramayana seem contemporary: Rama's vehicle at the end of the story is often cast as an airplane. However, the narrator says that storytellers all know the traditional poem by heart, which takes 40 days to recite. At special points during the retelling, an audience often gifts the storyteller clothes, money, sweets, and rings.

Finally, the narrator admits that he's leaving out the "sequel," which tells the story of Rama and Sita's second parting. Sita gives birth to twin boys in the forest, and the couple decides to return together to the heavens. He says that this ending isn't popular or considered authentic, and he prefers to end the tale with Rama happily enthroned as the ruler of Ayodhya.